Six weeks on

Jaydon at just six weeks old and with a head of hair any child of six months would be proud of!


Jaydon.

Me hyper?

Naw. I'm just practicing my karate!

Not just any golf ball!

Strata.

I am, as you may or may not already know a 'golf widow'. This is not generally an issue, PG loves to play golf and for me it means frequent peace and quiet with no competition for the computer! Most day's come hell of high water, if his golf club is open, and rarely is the weather severe enough to close it, he can be found stick in hand, chasing a small white ball around.

The specifics and appeal of his chosen sport are lost on me, I could regale you with the usual phrases regarding spoilt walks etc. but I will resist. As I understand it he plays reasonably well, he plays off a handicap something in the region of 7 or 8 and is all very serious about the whole thing.

I have made one or two attempts at joining in but my apparent difficulty in making contact with that damn small ball only frustrated me and consequently I wandered around the course causing aggravation by giggling at the seriousness of it all, bird watching and talking to some rather pretty cows on the opposite side of the fence!

This golf club has many and various, mostly pedantic rules, one of which is no mobile phones, yet another thing PG takes very seriously. Imagine then my surprise when yesterday evening I received a text message from him, knowing full well he was playing in a competition! Good lord I thought, a small panic rising in my chest, this must be something serious......and it was, very serious stuff indeed!

PG, for the first time in his eight year golfing 'career', had 'scored a hole in one'!!!!....even club rules couldn't prevent him from sharing his excitement from the green and using his phone. Yayyyy for PG.

Please don't ask me the length of the shot or par for the hole....I have a tendency to become a little 'deaf' at that point in golfing conversations.

What followed it seems, was much of the hand shaking and back slapping that goes on in these strange male bonding sessions, though unfortunately as all those present were driving home later in the evening, the 19th hole saw less downing of celebratory Scotch than they would have liked.......doubtless that will be rectified before too long! :o)

And so....this little golf ball pictured above is not just any golf ball, it is the golf ball and we have to have it displayed along with his various other trophies now!

Why are those trophies always so hideous I wonder?

I'm not fat.....

...I'm just fluffy!

Hmmmm.

Friday's feast (46)

Appetizer
Name a store or restaurant you no longer visit because of a bad experience you had there.
'Dixons'....it is never anything but a bad experience!

Soup
If you could own any building in existence, which one would you want?
Swiss Re Tower (The Gherkin)....I love it but I have no idea what I would do with it!


'Gherkin'

Salad
What's your favorite commercial these days?
I don't watch them often enough to know any...sorry.

Main Course
When was the last time you felt guilty about spending money, and what was it you purchased?
I always feel guilty about spending money...I don't have any!

Dessert
Friday's Feast is going to be having it's First Birthday in 2 weeks. What should we do to celebrate?
Er....can I get back to you on that....I'm not sure how one 'does' champagne cocktails 'virtually'

A rare moment

(Clickable)

Low tide at dusk ~ 05.05.05

As predicted, and it didn't take a genius, this mornings news bought with it a degree of disappointment....hey ho, life goes on and if nothing else the general election provided the opportunity for a small treat and a lovely evening yesterday.

The necessity to place a cross in a box in the afternoon forced me from my usual position infront of this machine, something that as a rule is not easy! PG had the afternoon off and we had one or two other chores to attend to in town so off we headed in bright sunshine first to the polling station. Nothing new there, a dingy local hall with even more dingy individuals in attendance, crosses were duly placed in boxes, amidst my giggling at something PG said, aforementioned dingy individuals looked somewhat less than amused at our adolescent behaviour and duty done we left post haste.

On then into town, which was busier than we are used to of late, holiday makers and tourists beginning to fill the streets as they do each spring.

Chores attended too, we went to fix a friends pc and then it was time for our treat. Fish and chips on the beach in early dusk! I just love it, it's the small things in life that make it worthwhile and having spent the majority of my life land-locked, I still adore that we can sit by the ocean at whim. We don't do it often enough, we really should make the effort but when we do eject ourselves beach-ward it still remains a joy. We sat like fools eating out of carboard boxes while attemping to look through binoculars at what PG assured me was a seal, though I strongly disputed he saw anything other than a rock, well I couldn't see it! We giggled and joked and fed seagulls with chips, a cardinal sin for they are not to be encouraged, we kissed like teenagers and watched dogs playing in the light surf.

As the sun began to set we drove home along lanes as yet untravelled by myself, little places I have always meant to go but in the day to day of life have never yet managed. There were lambs (no mention of mint sauce please, PG has already been there), trees, heavy with pink and white blossoms, all manner of birds beginning their nightly tasks and in the falling sunlight everything was greener than green, with wonderful shadows cast everywhere.

It was one of those evenings when all felt well in our little world , one of those moments of complete peace, that if planned can never be attained.

I've been tagged!

Eekkk, I've been tagged, in a virtual sense of course, by the inimitable Sque! I'm having a very intellectually challenged day so there is a distinct possibility that I have misunderstood what I am supposed to be doing but here goes anyways.....

Here are the Instructions:

What follows is a list of different occupations. You must select at least five of them. You may add more if you like to your list before you pass it on (after you select five of the items as it was passed to you). Of the five you selected, you are to finish each phrase with what you would do as a member of that profession. Then pass it on to three other bloggers.

If I could be a scientist...

If I could be a farmer...

If I could be a musician...

If I could be a doctor...

If I could be a painter...

If I could be a gardener...

If I could be a missionary...

If I could be a chef...

If I could be an architect...

If I could be a linguist...

If I could be a psychologist... I'd educate others to dispel the fears and taboos surrounding mental illness.
If I could be a librarian...

If I could be an athlete...

If I could be a lawyer... I'd represent for free those who have genuine need and no access to the legal system.

If I could be an innkeeper...

If I could be a professor...

If I could be a writer...

If I could be a backup dancer...

If I could be a llama-rider...

If I could be a bonnie pirate...

If I could be a midget stripper...

If I could be a proctologist... I would shove something rather large up the ass of Sque's ex!

If I could be a TV-Chat Show host...

If I could be an actor...

If I could be a judge...

If I could be a Jedi...

If I could be a mob boss...

If I could be a backup singer...

If I could be a CEO... I would employ all those individuals who industry won't usually give a chance.

If I could be a movie reviewer...

If I could be a mob boss...

If I could be a monkeys uncle...

If I could be a CSI...

If I could be a computer nerd... I'd be forever happy!

If I could be a Kindergarten teacher...

Ok.....so now it's my turn , Lisa, Sue and Mick consider yourselves tagged guys!

Curiosity got the cat

It would seem that cats have a memory span of a period approximating something in the vicinity of seven days!

Yesterday morning, after a week of complete refusal to venture 'out to play', hiding under the bed and jumping out of her little jacket at every noise and movement, curiosity finally got the better of Ditto. She woke up early, marched to the door and howled to be set free.


Out!

On opening the door to facilitate this I fully expected her to do another about turn and rush back to the safety of 'under the bed'......however to my amazement she rushed out, ploughed down the stairs and into the fields like nothing had ever happened!


Hiding.

Not a sign was there of the previous day's traumas, it was as though she had suddenly and completely forgotten what had gone before. There was a moment or two of red alert, of ears hard forward and nose sniffing frantically, the reason for which to a human was not discernible, but that aside nothing....completely back to normal overnight. Scaredy cat on Monday, brave hunter on Tuesday.



Red alert.

She was out in the sun for most of the day and evening, I kept a close eye on her but nothing seemed amiss, she went visiting her neighbour friend, who has edible treats always ready at the ready, she investigated her patch at length and lay in the grass dozing, with apparently not a care in the world and no memory of whatever it was that had scared her.

My only hope now is that having got 'brave cat' back, she doesn't have another encounter with whatever turned her into a nervous and housebound wreck for a week.

Election fever

What seems to be most evident about election fever 2005 style is that there is none! In previous years that have heralded a general election there has been a tangible feeling of anticipation, excitement or at least the feeling of some important event pending, this year there is apparently none of that.

What there does seem to be however is a complete disinterest. The run up to an election usually elicits much political debate among the population, heated discussions in the workplace, pubs and bars, conversations over dinner and among friends and rivals, but I have witnessed none of that this time around. Not one single conversation have I been party too or overheard!

The lack of interest or care seems to be complete.....or perhaps it is merely the fact that the result would appear to be a foregone conclusion and most of us feel that what we have is what we will continue to be stuck blessed with. The rare mentions I have been privy too regarding tomorrows event, is from those saying that this time around they see no point in placing their vote for it will make little if any difference. A sad state of affairs.

In general elections that have gone before, whatever one's beliefs, leanings or political affiliations, this current apathy and feeling of hopelessness did not seem so readily apparent. Love them or hate them, the likes of of Margaret Thatcher, Harold Wilson and John Major at least instilled feelings of passion in the electorate and we awaited the outcome of our day of voting with interest.

By contrast election fever 2005 style, seems to be most noticeable in it's absence!

Not to be completely deterred by the apathy, I for one will make the trip to the polling station and whilst I suspect it will mean a disappointing Friday in gemmaks-ville, I can only promise that my little cross will most deffinately not be in support of TB and his 'merry band'!

Chernobyl

I received an email today from a very dear friend, the contents of which I will duplicate here exactly as they were when I opened the mail.

I need add nothing more:

This is one of those things that EVERYONE should see, it's not bloody
or gutty in any way but it will stay with you as a monument of humanity,
and a testimony to human... carelessness? stupidity? hubris?

it's a mostly pictorial site journal of an incredible young russian lady's motorcycle
tour thru the Chernobyl area recently, and stands as one of the most powerful things I've ever seen.

It's been around awhile but has been updated, please share.
http://www.kiddofspeed.com/.

Psy-cat-ic

Nope, here will do just fine!
(Click to enlarge)

Well it would seem that whilst the title of 'psychotic' or rather a feline version of it maybe a little over doing it, very little has changed with Ditto since I blogged on her sudden fear of the great outdoors.

Last night we gathered her up in an attempt to take her outside, stay with her and see if a little exposure therapy would do the trick. PG carried her in his arms toward the front door and on first attempt was almost mortally wounded by claws as she beat a rapid retreat. Having let her settle down a little we tried again, this time as we neared the door she tensed noticeably and clung on, more akin to a baby monkey than a three year old cat. We did however get her to the bottom of the stairs, put her down........and watched her race back inside!

Another approach was needed so we left the door open to see if curiosity would get the better of her. After an hour she had made it cautiously to the doorstep, where she remained 'monitoring' the situation and her territory from a-far, until gone midnight when we went to bed...not a step further did she venture.

This evening on arriving home after work, instead of small cat racing past my legs in a bid escape as she usually would, she ran in the opposite direction and back under the bed. This cat needs some heavy duty exposure therapy, Lord knows what has frightened her to quite this extent!

The door is once again 'parked' open as I type, once again small cat has come to a dead halt at the threshold, determined to go no further and once again it seems this will be position for the rest of the evening.

I feel sad for her, she loved 'playing out' and though I'm sure she will eventually get over it, right now she is an extremely jumpy and slightly sad looking cat.

A bank holiday.....

....and spring amazingly sprung!

(Click to enlarge)

Spring sprung!

The decades 'must have'

THIS has to be, without doubt, the absolute 'must have' gadget of the year, if not the decade. My sincerest hope is that it comes complete with a full set of very comprehensive instructions for the male of the species, who appear to be somewhat challenged when it comes to this branch of technology!

Scaredy-cat

Ditto, young cat of small proportions, cat of brave heart, cat of hunting prowess and cat that screams incessantly like a banshee if 'her' door is not opened at the appropriate time for her daily meanderings, seems to have had a sudden and extreme change of heart!

Five days ago you couldn't keep this cat in, well not without the aid of ear defenders at any rate. At any and all opportunity she pottered around the fields staking claim on her patch and finding us the little (normally squealing) treats she so horribly kindly and proudly bestowed at out our feet.....and now, without apparent reason, wild horses wouldn't drag her across the threshold!


First adventure ~ August 2002.
(click to enlarge)

Mid evening five days ago we had allowed her out for slightly longer than usual without checking her whereabouts, none the less she had only been out perhaps an hour and we had heard no usual 'scratch on the door' request for entry. I went to see where she had got too and on opening the door she almost fell through it and appeared to stagger for maybe one or two steps. We checked her over, no sign of anything untoward and forgot the small incident.

The following day she didn't ask to be let out and still we thought nothing of it, by yesterday, four days later, not once had she ventured out! She hasn't accompanied me to the dustbin or on trips to hang washing out as she normally does, she hasn't once asked for an exit and when on a number of occasions we have left the door open, she has cowered under the bed.

And yet she is in otherwise excellent form, still eating like a horse, still running round the walls, still tormenting Poppy and not a single sign of a scratch, a bruise, or an illness is there.

I have absolutely no idea what has turned her, overnight, into a scaredy-cat. She has in the past had one or two 'run-ins' with a very big, bad, black cat and on those occasions has arrived home post haste sporting a battle scar and proceeded to 'rest' for maybe a day.... but never once has she been in for five whole days since sh